Medvedev Feels at Home in Almaty, Ready to Finish Season Strong

Daniil Medvedev may have arrived in Kazakhstan after a grueling Asian swing, but the world-class Russian star sounded relaxed, grounded, and even a little sentimental as he spoke ahead of his Almaty Open debut.

«I’ve been to Kazakhstan maybe six or seven times, maybe even more, and I like it here,» Medvedev said with a smile. «I heard a lot of good things about Almaty before coming. The organization and the tournament itself are great — everyone who’s here for the first time is saying the same thing. Hopefully I’ll come back many more times.»
The former World No. 1 has always been known for his dry wit and analytical insight, and in Almaty he showed both — reflecting on his current form, the end-of-season grind, and his commitment to competition even as many of his peers head elsewhere.
Asked why he chose to compete in Almaty rather than the lucrative Six Kings Slam exhibition event, Medvedev was characteristically direct.
«It’s actually more complicated than people think,» he explained. «I knew from the start I probably wouldn’t get invited, because they only take the top six — last year they made an exception for Rafa. But I entered the tournament in Kazakhstan, and « when I enter, I play». Maybe there were some talks somewhere, but generally, if I make an agreement with someone, I stick to my word. That’s why I’m here, and I don’t regret it at all.»
The Russian also underlined that he still values competitive tennis above exhibition glamour. «It’s important to earn ranking points and get matches under my belt. I’ll try to show some good tennis here,» he added.
Coming straight from the sweltering conditions of Shanghai, Medvedev admitted his preparation in Almaty had been more about recovery than heavy training.
«These three days weren’t easy because we came from Shanghai, which is far and had really brutal conditions,» he said. «So it’s been more about recovery than tennis. My game is already quite complete, but we’re always looking to make small improvements — adding little details here and there.»
He also noted the welcome change in conditions. «Here it’s definitely easier. In Shanghai, the center court is very closed, so there’s no air. It was really tough physically. Here it’s much easier  you just hit a few balls, get used to the conditions, and get ready to play.»
With his chances of qualifying for the ATP Finals in Turin slim, Medvedev has a clear, measured plan for the rest of his year.
«This stretch after Shanghai is always tough,» he said. «You switch from heat and humidity to indoor hard courts — basically into the European winter. I also know that I have almost no chance to qualify for Turin, so I decided these are my last three tournaments of the year, and I’ll play them all   as long as my body allows.»
Despite the long season, there’s no sign of fatigue in his motivation. «So far, the adaptation here is going well. The first match on indoor hard is never easy, but I’m ready for it,» he added.
Local favorite Alexander Bublik recently joked that Medvedev is his «most uncomfortable opponent — the one who appears in his nightmares.» The Russian took it in stride.
«I’ll take that as a compliment,» he said smiling  «Sasha can definitely play great tennis. He beat me in Halle, and I wasn’t playing badly there. He can serve well, use drop shots, come to the net  he’s always a tricky opponent. I think all our matches have been close. But right now, I’d say Sinner is probably the toughest opponent for him.»
Medvedev also shared his appreciation for the support he’s felt in Kazakhstan, where Russian is widely spoken and fans have embraced him warmly.
«Here it actually feels nice,» he said. «I’d say this is the closest tournament to home, in some sense, that we have on the ATP Tour. Everyone speaks Russian, so that’s pleasant. I saw how the fans supported Sasha yesterday — it was cool. There’s no pressure, but of course I want to play well.»
Known for his intense on-court demeanor, Medvedev was asked about his famously animated interactions with umpires   and whether he’d like to see changes in how those relationships work.
«When I’m not on court, I have maximum respect for all umpires  they’re great, I love them all,» he said with a laugh. «But on court, emotions kick in. I’m more like a football player  something happens, I might be at fault, but I’ll still tell the umpire it’s his fault.»
He added that more transparency would help. «Like in Shanghai, I got a time violation and told them, ‘I’m probably the fastest server on tour. I wait for others every match and they never get one.’ That really annoyed me. But I understand it’s hard — there’s always subjectivity.  
As the Almaty Open begins, Medvedev will be among the headline acts, drawing large crowds and eager eyes. For him, though, it’s simple: focus on the next match, finish the year strong, and keep improving.«You always want to play better and do more,» he said early in the press conference. «It’s a step-by-step process. So far, things have been working well — let’s see how it goes.»